Destination: From Budapest with love

"When one goes away, 

one simply must stay in a palace"

And so that is what I did.

Four Seasons Hotel Budapest, Gresham Palace

The infamous chandelier!

Beautiful mosaic flooring in the lobby

Three nights in Budapest would be fabulous wherever you stayed, but 3 nights in Four Seasons Budapest, Gresham Palace was something else altogether.

From the moment I arrived until the moment I left, I was blown away by just how beautiful this hotel was. The art-deco features and decor work so incredibly well in this place that they alone could make the entire experience memorable, before you add the Four Seasons experience into the mix.

My room was superb. The bed was comfortable, the bathroom was fabulous, and the windows gave the room that extra special touch. My room was on the fifth floor, right next to the spa, which was perfect for an early morning swim and a 'relax' before breakfast!

Deluxe King room with gorgeous windows

The swimming pool is a little unusual in that it stands alone in the middle of the room, raised up out of the floor rather than going down into it. It is a simple, long structure perfect for doing a few lengths before hopping into the bubbling hot tub and soothing sauna. Of course, the staff in the spa were always ready and waiting to offer assistance and were not in the slightest bit phased at us wandering in and out in our super comfy bath robes!

We ate in the hotel's Gresham restaurant on our first evening in Budapest, choosing to dine al fresco after enjoying a cocktail or two in the hotel's bar.

Lobster and scallops at the Gresham restaurant

Traditional, and tasty, Hungarian love cake!

Subsequently, my mum's new favourite drink is a Bellini. Clearly I need to take her out with me a lot more in future, as this was the first time she'd ever had one! (Shock horror!) Whilst on the subject, the bar at Gresham Palace insists on providing the most delicious (albeit filling) snacks to accompany your cocktails. We needn't have gone out for dinner most evenings, as we were more than happy picking away at the various canapés and nibbles provided for us here!

Mother mine enjoying her Bellini!

Budapest itself is buzzing with bars and restaurants as well as having some of the most beautiful buildings and monuments I've ever seen. Head down to the city park and there's even more to look at, including the baths there which are completely stunning.

St Stephen's Basilica

Before I went to Budapest everyone told me to make use of public transport, but to be honest we didn't find that we needed to. We walked to everywhere we wanted to get to, and found that this was a really great way to see the city as you are able to go at your own pace and stop off wherever you want to.

There are so many photos attached to this post, but I think that you need them to truly appreciate the beauty and diversity of this city. There are so many different types of restaurants and places to visit, all snuggled up beside ancient buildings and a beautiful landscape. There's not many cities in which these two diversities can live with each other so closely and in such great harmony, but Budapest certainly makes it work.